An update from Emily Simons, our Wyld Life (middle school Young Life) leader
I wouldn’t say that little demon is the best way to describe a middle school student. Neither is wonderful angel or angry porcupine or hyperactive squirrel or distracted puppy or playful kitten or cupcake. A combination of all these things would be perfect, but the word comes out as demangporsquirpukicu and that’s just too long. Middle Schooler really is the perfect description; after all, how many people get chills down their spines when they hear that there were 40 Middle Schoolers at one event.
At the last club I was supposed to be the only adult,
so it was decided that a Movie Night would probably be the best option,
just so there wouldn’t be more craziness then I could handle. The flyers
read: “Movie Night, Toy Story 3, Popcorn, Soda, Prizes.” Expect the
unexpected, or in this case expect the expected. What was I thinking?!
Give them soda and they’re all going to be perfectly content sitting
down and watching a movie? One kid was so hyped up he couldn’t stand
still long enough for me to grab him a bowl of popcorn and the majority
of them couldn’t focus on the movie. Before I knew it they were playing
foosball, pool, and they had a game of Ultimate Frisbee going on
outside. Thankfully I did end up having two adult leaders there that
night. I’m not sure what I would have done. One of them managed to break
up a fight before it really happened. I talked about forgiveness that
night, about how choosing to not forgive someone can cause a lot of
bitterness and that Jesus has given us forgiveness the ability to give
it to others.
Despite all the craziness, the night was a success. The students who went got to have fun and all of us leaders were able to build relationships and to get to get to know 16 students a little better. It may not have gone how I had envisioned it would but it did turn out the way God had wanted it to. Also, I learned something: if there is ever a night where I need everyone to be super crazy, bring soda.
I wouldn’t say that little demon is the best way to describe a middle school student. Neither is wonderful angel or angry porcupine or hyperactive squirrel or distracted puppy or playful kitten or cupcake. A combination of all these things would be perfect, but the word comes out as demangporsquirpukicu and that’s just too long. Middle Schooler really is the perfect description; after all, how many people get chills down their spines when they hear that there were 40 Middle Schoolers at one event.
At the last club I was supposed to be the only adult,
so it was decided that a Movie Night would probably be the best option,
just so there wouldn’t be more craziness then I could handle. The flyers
read: “Movie Night, Toy Story 3, Popcorn, Soda, Prizes.” Expect the
unexpected, or in this case expect the expected. What was I thinking?!
Give them soda and they’re all going to be perfectly content sitting
down and watching a movie? One kid was so hyped up he couldn’t stand
still long enough for me to grab him a bowl of popcorn and the majority
of them couldn’t focus on the movie. Before I knew it they were playing
foosball, pool, and they had a game of Ultimate Frisbee going on
outside. Thankfully I did end up having two adult leaders there that
night. I’m not sure what I would have done. One of them managed to break
up a fight before it really happened. I talked about forgiveness that
night, about how choosing to not forgive someone can cause a lot of
bitterness and that Jesus has given us forgiveness the ability to give
it to others.Despite all the craziness, the night was a success. The students who went got to have fun and all of us leaders were able to build relationships and to get to get to know 16 students a little better. It may not have gone how I had envisioned it would but it did turn out the way God had wanted it to. Also, I learned something: if there is ever a night where I need everyone to be super crazy, bring soda.
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